Effect of Laterite Mining on the Land Use of Midland Hillocks of Kannur District, Kerala - A Case Study

The various dimensions of human intervention on natural processes and systems are of grave concern to geographers. Mining is one of the oldest professions of the world and it grew with the evolution of man and civilization. Environmental impacts of mining are important to the society in and around the mining complexes not only because of the direct impacts but also the indirect impacts. It being the fact, all the activities the human beings do are for the benefit of the society, the mining activities should also yield benefits to the society, which so far has not been taking place. Laterite is a typical rock formation found commonly in the tropical monsoon regions as a capping over the hillocks. It is best developed in the Western Ghats and its foothills. The thickness of lateritic cap varies from 10 to 70 meters. It is the characteristic feature of midland hillocks of north Malabar region of Kerala especially Kannur and Kasaragod Districts. In the areas of extensive laterite formations, its mining has emerged as a major economic activity of the local people. Present investigation is an attempt to analyse the effects of laterite mining on local land use from a geographical perspective.